People are turning deaf ears to telemarketers, so Kansas law enforcement and firefighting associations are altering their traditional fund-raising efforts.

About two years ago, the Kansas State Firefighters Assn. entirely abandoned telemarketing as a fund-raising tool.

“We got to looking at whether we were getting the benefits we expected,” said Jim Keating, president of the association. “Telemarketing is very hard to do now.”

The Kansas Sheriff’s Assn. and the Kansas State Troopers Assn. continue to use private telemarketing firms to raise money. But the sheriff’s association has considered another method, Director Darrell Wilson said.

Donations raised through telemarketing “have really dropped off the last few years,” Wilson said. “So many people are calling. People get tired of it, and they are less likely to want to hear our message.”

About three years ago, the troopers’ group stopped asking for a flat donation through telemarketing. Instead, they sell tickets to country music concerts. About six concerts take place each year in towns such as Dodge City, Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita. Featured artists this year include Marty Stuart and Ricky Van Shelton.

“We thought it would be better to give people something in return for their money,” Troopers President Eric Haskin said. “We think it’s worked pretty well.”

Both Wilson and Haskin said their organizations had regular donors, and some people call them about donating money. They declined to say how much money their associations bring in from telemarketing.

The firefighters association relies on funds it gets from a portion of fire insurance policy fees paid by Kansans. It receives up to $160,000 per year, Keating said.

The three associations use the funds in various ways. Among other things they pay for statewide training sessions for association members, charities, legislative lobbyists and death benefits for members.

In recent years, scam artists have tried to use the three organizations’ names, thus making the legitimate telemarketing that much harder to do, the association leaders said.

Anyone who wants to check on the legitimacy of a telemarketing call can check with their local sheriff, Wilson said.

Checks are requested only after packets of information have been sent to those who express their interest in donating to a telemarketer, Wilson said. Donors have time to review the information and change their minds before writing the check.

To check on the legitimacy of a troopers association telemarketer, you can call 1-800-550-5782, Haskin said.

The associations are nonprofit. Kansas’ recent telemarketing no-call list law approved by the Legislature doesn’t prevent nonprofit organizations from calling.

But “it might make some people wonder if we are supposed to be calling,” Wilson said.

No one with the Kansas Fraternal Order of Police Lodge could be reached for comment.